


The Iron Dad Protocol

by cheathsk



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Iron Dad, I’m just excited to try this, Peter’s point of view, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, i should be studying, tony stark is a dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-22 14:36:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21303707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheathsk/pseuds/cheathsk
Summary: Basically Peter convinces F.R.I.D.A.Y. to create a protocol to help cheer Tony up
Comments: 16
Kudos: 272





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I spend a huge amount of time reading Iron Dad fan fiction so I wanted to try writing one. It’s short but I hope someone enjoys it!

Peter got the idea one Friday when Tony picked him up after school for their weekly lab time. He couldn’t really tell what it was that Tony had done that day to put him in such a bad mood, but the ride back to the tower was unusually quiet and he definitely wasn’t acting like he normally did. As aloof as the genius tried to act, he was usually just as excited as Peter was for their weekends together. Today, though, it seemed clear that he was exhausted and probably had at least a mild headache. Peter decided about five minutes into their silent car ride that he was going to cheer Tony up, but he wasn’t sure what exactly to do.

Though the two had only recently begun to spend a lot of time together, Tony seemed to have a sixth sense for when Peter was down. Whether it was Flash, stress from school, or a bad patrol it only took one look at Peter to for Tony to declare that night an ice cream and Star Wars night. Of course the billionaire would outright say he was trying to cheer Peter up, but regardless, it always worked. Now with Tony so obviously upset at... whatever it was, Peter suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to return the favor so that his mentor would know how much he appreciated his guidance, their lab time, their movie nights and well... just Tony. As soon as they parked Peter had the perfect idea.

“Hey Mr. Stark? Would it be okay if I go change really quick before we head to the lab? I got uh food on my shirt at lunch today.” Peter asked finally interrupting the silence.

“Yeah kid go ahead,” he responded lacking any sarcastic comment about the fake food incident and without even insisting that Peter call him “Tony“, which he normally did almost every time “Mr. Stark” came out of Peter’s mouth. “I’ll be there when you get there.” At that Peter practically bounded away and asked F.R.I.D.A.Y. to take him up to the penthouse where he went straight for his room (which he still couldn’t believe that he had his own room in Tony Starks house what even was his life right now) and searched his closet stopping once he finally laid eyes on the exact shirt he was looking for. He pulled out a red and gold t-shirt that read “The Invincible Iron Man” except the word Iron was replaced with an actual clothing Iron. Peter had vowed never to wear it in front of Tony when the two of them first started hanging out because he didn’t want the man to know just how much of a fanboy he actually was, but tonight Peter decided that if his embarrassment helped to make Tony smile, his pride was a sacrifice he was willing to make. It all proved to be worth it when Peter came bounding into the lab with his new outfit on and snacks in hand. Tony couldn’t help but give an award winning smile.

“Nice shirt kid,” He said taking the Oreos Peter was offering him “and a nice pun too.”

“Yeah well when you make your superhero name ‘Iron Man’ you are just begging for this pun to happen. Hey! You should totally dress up for an iron for Halloween!” Peter rambled enthusiastically happy to have made Tony even the slightest bit more happy.

“Only if my genius intern here designs me the greatest iron costume that has ever existed.” Tony replied easily with a smirk.

Peter fired back almost immediately, “Only if you help me make it, aaaand you have to go trick or treating with me!”.

“Make your costume an ironing board and we’ve got a deal kid” Tony said extending his hand reaching out to shake Peter’s

“Deal!”

The rest of the night was spent with Peter eagerly sketching terrible renderings of about a hundred different iron and ironing board costumes for Tony to give feedback on, and that feedback was almost always a snarky review on how Tony was not paying him to draw so terribly. Followed by Peter responding that he didn’t get paid at all. After eating a superhuman amount of takeout in the lab and getting barely any actual work done, the two said goodnight for the evening with Tony being much more his usual self, and Peter beaming, ecstatic to have helped even just the slightest bit. Once he was alone in his room Peter called out “Hey F.R.I.D.A.Y.?”

“Yes Peter?” The AI responded affectionately.

“Do you think I helped make Mr. Stark feel better?”

“Statistically Boss smiles much more frequently anytime you are around.” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied causing Peter to blink in surprise. While he had hoped that Tony enjoyed having him around a little bit, he had kind of assumed that their lab time was apart of his “internship”, and while he appreciated that the man took the time out of his schedule to spend with him, he never imagined that he could also be helping Tony out that much.

“Hey F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” He called out to the AI a second time “you know how Tony has all of those protocols in my suit?”

“Yes I am”

“Am I allowed to make any?” He asked.

“As long as the protocol does not present any significant risk to your safety, you are allowed to make such a request” she responded “what protocol would you like to make?”

“Can you like text me or call me whenever Mr. Stark is in a crappy mood so I can try and cheer him up?”

“Certainly,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said warmly “and what would you like to call this protocol?”

“Ummmmm. Oh! The Cheer Tony Up protocol? No that’s dumb. The Iron Man defense protocol? No. Oh! I got it. The Iron Dad protocol!” He finally decided.

“Got it Peter,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. answered “The Iron Dad protocol is now active.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote a chapter where Tony finds out about the protocol because who needs to study?

“Hey Mr. Stark! Could I ask for a favor?” Tony’s phone lit up with a text from Peter. Tony smiled for what was probably the first time that day. The constant accords meetings meant hours of paperwork, negotiations, and headaches. It also didn’t help that the subject itself brought up a host of bad memories he didn’t exactly want to face. Meeting Peter, though, was the one good thing to come from that situation and Tony wouldn’t trade his relationship with the kid for the world, even if it was new territory for him.

“As long as you aren’t asking to use the iron man suit, yeah kid. You can have any favor you want.” He replied.

“Yeah right, like I’d want the Iron Man suit. My suit is way cooler anyway.” The kid shot back causing Tony to laugh, getting the attention of the entire conference room. He rolled his eyes and went back to his phone.

“The favor kid?”

“Oh right! Yeah could I swing by the tower later so you can help me tie my tie?” Peter answered.

“I thought you knew how to tie a tie? Didn’t you go to homecoming and all that jazz, and also what’s the occasion kid?” Tony asked. He was more than willing to help the kid, but also pretty sure that he already knew how to do it himself. 

“I mean yeah May and I kind of figured it out from a YouTube video, but your ties always look so cool. I figured there is something I’m doing wrong.” Peter answered, definitely trying to avoid the “why” question which Tony caught onto.

“You can swing by, but I have to know why you are suddenly dressing up. It’s the price of my amazing tie tying advice.” He typed back.

“There’s no reason!”

“Oh there is definitely a reason.”

“Nope. Maybe I just want to look nice!”

“No tie lessons for spider-kid .” Tony lied. He would help the kid hide a body if he needed him to, but he wanted information. 

“Fine.” Peter answered “I have a date.” Now that made Tony smile. He tried to ignore the weird feelings of pride and affection in his chest that started to rise at the thought of helping Peter tie his tie for a date. It wasn’t like Peter was his kid after all. Tony just helped the kid out with superheroing and the occasional school project, standard professional mentor stuff. At least that’s what he told himself. Plus Peter definitely didn’t see him in any kind of parental light. I mean who would?

“A DATE? See now I’m really interested. Is it with that MJ girl I’ve been telling you likes you back.” He responded.

“Whatever Mr. Stark. Can you just help me with the tie please?” Peter pleaded. 

“For sure kid, I’ll be home pretty soon. See you then.”

...................

“You’re in a good mood.” Pepper noted as Tony walked in the door. “Usually those meetings leave you drained.” 

“Oh the meeting was as awful as always, but I do get to come home to an unbelievably beautiful and smart fiancé” Tony responded causing Pepper to roll her eyes before giving him a kiss. “Plus you’ll never guess who is dropping by the tower for MY advice.”

“Who?”

“Peter. The kid has a date and wants help with his tie apparently.” Tony said as a look of realization dawned on Pepper’s face. 

“Oh so Peter is the reason you are in such a good mood.” she replied “That makes sense.” 

“What do you mean?” He asked. 

“Well you know it’s just lately every time you’ve had a bad day, the kid is usually there to make you feel better. It’s a _good_ thing Tony. It’s adorable how much you two care about each other.” Pepper said stopping Tony in his tracks. 

“Woah. I mean yeah I care about the kid and definitely enjoy his company Pep, but I don’t think he is sitting around worrying about whether or not I’ve had a bad day. I’m just his... I don’t know... his mentor?” 

“Oh stop it Tony. You love him and he loves you- watch I’ll prove it. F.R.I.D.A.Y., how many times has Peter cheered Tony up after he’s had a bad day?” Pepper asked the AI.

“Every time the boss has had a bad day in the last month Peter has cheered him up per the protocol Mr. Parker had me create.” F.R.I.D.A.Y. answered, surprising them both. 

“What protocol?!” Tony demanded. He didn’t even know the kid had done that. He had given Peter nearly full access to the AI as long as he was not doing anything stupid or trying to hide something from him, but this was surprising. 

“Per the protocol, anytime you have a bad day I am to contact Peter so he can make an effort to cheer you up.” She answered. “It’s called the Iron Dad Protocol.” A slow, smile formed across Tony’s face._ The Iron Dad Protocol._

_Iron Dad_

_Dad_

So clearly the kid did think about him that way, and for whatever reason this realization didn’t make Tony want to run for the hills or lock himself into his lab like most emotional subjects did. All Tony wanted to do was to help the kid tie his tie and tell him that he was proud of him for finally asking the girl he liked out. 

“Fine your right! I love the kid and he loves me.” he admitted to Pepper who was giving him a VERY smug, yet loving look. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to help my kid get ready for his date.” Tony said leaving to go meet the kid in the lab. He was pretty sure that Peter knew exactly how to tie a tie and was simply using this as an excuse cheer Tony up, but if the kid really did see him as Iron Dad. Then that’s exactly who he would be for him.

“Hey F.R.I.D.A.Y. change Peters name in my phone will you?”

“What to boss?”

“Spider-son.”


End file.
